World War II Honoree

James H. Whitehead

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Booneville, Mississippi

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MAY 21, 1942 AND PARTICIPATED IN BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH DELTA COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 6TH MARINES, 2ND MARINE ‘THE SILENT SECOND’ DIVISION. ON THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1944 HE PARTICIPATED IN THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IN THE BATTLE OF SAIPAN (INVASIONS DATES: JUNE 15 THROUGH JULY 9, 1944) MARIANA ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. KILLED IN ACTION TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1944 AND WAS BURIED IN THE ARMY BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON SAIPAN. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU, WITH INTERMENT IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: THIS MARINE, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, WHO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.